Superman & Love
by foreverbestinglife
Summary: Dani has an unexpected visitor at night. Nico has to intervene. Will they succumb to their dreams, thoughts, feelings and fantasies for each other? Or will Nico's stubborness come in the way? Read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

**So i have a bit of an insomnia problem right now. So only 2 hours of sleep leaves alot of free time at night for me to do nothing but come up with DANICO stories. This is my third so far, no this isn't the only part of this story. I'm working on the second chapter as we speak, just thought i'd give you guys a taste of it and see what you think. Enjoy. Let me know your thoughts, i love reviews. **

**Much love Danico peeps,**

**Jasmine**

* * *

Friday night Dani crawled into bed with a heavy sigh. With a loose fitting night gown and a glass of wine in her system to calm her nerves. That week had been her hell week, marshall was an ass all week, TK was an even bigger issue, and then there was the break up with Matt. Which the last one wasn't that big of an issue for Dani, she hadn't really felt anything for him after a while. So when she finally crawled into bed she fell into one of the deepest sleeps she had ever had.

Waking up without remembering why was something Dani hadn't experienced in a while, until she heard things breaking in the room below. Knowing her children were on vacation with her grandma and that TK was still out of town she knew that her house was being vacated by a stranger. The first thought that came to her mind was Nico, but she remembered her phone was downstairs; she had gotten rid of her land line a while ago instead deciding to get another cell. What a great idea that was now, as she could hear the stranger coming up the stairs she slid out of bed and slid underneath it. Covering her mouth as tears slid down her cheeks and she started to breathe quicker as the footsteps came closer. Suddenly she could hear him moving around in her room, see the flashlight as he went through her bedroom and bathroom obviously looking for her. She almost whimpered when he jumped onto her bed, but kept it in instead. Remembering something Nico had told her, if the person committing a crime doesn't find what he is looking for, he either will get extremely angry and go into a rage or simply lose interest. She was desperately hoping for the second option right now. All Dani could think about was getting to her phone and calling Nico. Which, she then realized most normal people would call 911 but she would rather call her superman. She realized tears were coming faster down her cheeks as she came to the conclusion she may die tonight and never see him again, or her kids. So she lay curled under her bed listening to the stranger starting to throw things around, crying silently and heavily as her heart started to rupture in fear and sadness at the possible outcome of tonight. Suddenly everything went quiet, Dani perked up trying to hear where the stranger had gone, looking around she saw nothing. She decided to stay put but still started to grasp at the small amount of hope surfacing. At the moment when she started to calm down the bed was ripped away from the bed frame and over her stood the scariest, tallest, and most muscular man she had ever seen. His face covered in a black face mask but rage radiating from his dark eyes. She only whimpered when he grabbed her hair and yanked her up starting to throw her around like a rag doll. When he threw her into the wall in the hallway of her bedroom, she bounced back and fell down the stairs. Knowing she screwed her ankle up as tears stung her eyes and her ankle throbbed she started to crawl towards her phone, one last attempt at contacting her savior. When she just about reached it she was grabbed, punched in the ribs and face and thrown across the room. With the wind knocked out of her and her eye already swelling shut, Dani about gave up hope when her front door burst open.

She didn't have enough time to process what was happening when she saw a flash of black and heard a scream so full of rage she cringed even further away from the scene. Curling into a small ball and starting to cry while sobbing silently she could hear what sounded like a war zone. Suddenly, everything stopped, silence set over her house and Dani just wanted to pass out. She could hear footsteps coming towards her, processing in her mind that if that was the stranger she was dead; she began to plead incoherent things for her life. However, she stopped the moment she heard her name come from the lips of her personal superman.

"Dani, oh god Dani I'm so sorry. I should have been here sooner." He leaned down and picked her up, mindful of her ankle when she cried in pain. He started to carry her to his car as she just silently cried in relief and buried her face in his neck. When Dani kissed his neck, eliciting a shiver of desire through him, she whispered two words before passing out. "Thank you."

Speeding all the way to hospital Nico slammed the car into park before even breaking, running around to Dani he lifted her out of the car and all bout jogged into the ER room. He ran to the first nurse and told her he needed a doctor now. Seeing Nico's expression while muttering that sentence with an unconscious Dani in his arms, anyone would have obeyed him. Ten minutes later he sat in a chair next to Dani's sleeping form in a hospital bed. She was fine, just passed out from stress and anxiety. She had a small concussion, a black eye, a bruised rib, and a badly sprained ankle. The rest of her injuries would be mainly psychological. While sitting there and staring into her sleeping face, hearing the beep of her steady heartbeat he began to berate himself for not getting there faster.

Whenever Nico was out and about around 3am he would drive by Dani's house and check in on her. Sometimes waking her, other times just parking outside her house and feeling his loneliness and want for her. This time when he pulled up and saw her window broken his heart stopped. As he parked his car and ran to her house he heard her scream and it felt like it came straight from him. When he bolted through the door he saw her take the punch to the ribs and her face and be flown across her living room like a living rag doll. He saw red, white and black all at once. Charging at the asshole with all his might, and screaming at the top of his lungs he tackled the man to the ground. Unfortunately Nico's reaction gave the man an upper hand to react calmly by throwing Nico into a counter top. Hitting his head he stumbled a bit before regaining his ground and charging again, this time relying on his Seal training to bring the man almost twice his size down. When the guy took a wrong step Nico was there with his fist in the guy's face, as he fell to the ground Nico grabbed the back of his head slamming his nose into Nico's knee with a sickening crunch. When he fell to the ground unconscious Nico gave a swift kick to the ribs for good measure before taking off for Dani. Finding her on the ground curled into a ball, and muttering incoherently about her kids, and something about him his heart fell to his toes with desperation and sadness in his inability to protect her. Picking her up was not only a comfort she needed, but he needed to feel her beating heart, hear her breathing, and hold her tight. When she thanked him before passing out, his own tears fell down his face. He cried all the way to the hospital before gaining his adrenaline and wiping his tears away as he carried Dani in and demanded a doctor's attention right away. When the doctor informed him that she would be alright and just needed some rest, he insisted she wake up here with him so that she would feel safe. The doctor had them transferred to a recovery room and now he sat hating himself for not stopping by earlier, or checking in on her earlier to see how she was doing after such a rough week.

Nico's attention was shifted to Dani as she muttered his name. He expected to find her awake and looking at him, but what he found made his heart swell with love. She had a small smile and was holding his hand between hers, she muttered his name again but this time followed up with three words he never thought he would be lucky enough to hear. "I Love You."

Nico started to silently weep for her again. This time he too cried himself to sleep with his forehead against her arm and one of his hands in her hair, the other being held between her two small ones.

Nico awoke to the feeling of someone running their fingers through his hair, looking up he saw her looking back at him with a small smile on her face. What he noticed was the bruises forming on her face, and he had to hold back his tears. He ran a hand softly, barely touching, down her cheek.

"Dani, I'm so sorry."

"How did you know to come Nico? I couldn't reach my phones."

"I always stop by your house to see that you are safe Danielle, every night since I have felt…Since I have known you as a Hawk's asset. Only this time I wish I had stopped sooner. God if only I had stopped sooner…" He brushed another hand down her cheek as she witnessed Nico, the only person she felt safe with, start to cry. She grabbed his face and made him look her in her good eye.

"Nico Careles, stop it. You saved me, and that is all I could even hope for, actually at that point it was more than I thought possible. Nico please stop crying, just know that I am grateful you showed up period. I don't know what I would have done had you not shown up."

"Dani…Don't"

"I could have died Nico. If you hadn't come I could have died." After she finished that sentence she noticed the haunted look that came through his eyes, but as it spread to show blatantly throughout his face she became afraid. "Nico.."

"Danielle, don't ever say that to me. Don't ever think that. Never. It won't ever happen as long as I live. Do you understand me Dani, Never." He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles while staring deeply into her eyes. "I couldn't bear to lose you." With that bombshell he walked out of her room, leaving her feeling so many things at once and so confused at the same time. Where did he go? When her door opened a few minutes after he left she expected to see him walking through the door, instead a small petite nurse came and pushed something through her IV. She then fell back into a dreamless sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Leaving her in the hospital had been the only option, when she had said that one sentence to him his heart had shattered at the possibility. Never in a million years did he ever think he could feel this heartbroken over a "What if " scenario, but as he drove he lost himself and felt nothing but a sense of numbing dread settle over his heart. Nico drove for hours until he reached his apartment, he ran to his room, changed into sweats and ran out of the apartment. Running as fast and hard as possible, tears sliding down his face, as the sun came up over New York he lost his control. Falling onto his knees in the center of central park and sobbing with so much pain his throat hurt when he calmed down. He stood up, and jogged back to his apartment. Looking at his bed still made and crisp, he walked past it to his bathroom. He took a scalding shower, while the events of the night replayed in his head, one sentence haunted him the most. His fist clenched as he heard the words over in his head, as he remembered her being punched and the sickening sound of the impact the fist made to her ribs. He started to cry silently again as he began to beat into his wall all his rage he felt at her pain. When he managed to punch through his tile into dry wall, he pulled his bleeding hand out of the wall still shaking with anger. Walking out of the shower after turning it off, he walked into his room and gathered clothes. Dressing was done while on auto pilot, his fist radiating pain through his body but not being paid any attention. When he put his shoes on, tying the laces was something he wasn't sure he could even do. Walking into his kitchen he grabbed an ice pack and walked outside to look over the city as he began to deal with his reactions.

Nico stood there for a couple of minutes and let his hand go numb from the ice pack. When that was accomplished and Nico felt more stable emotionally, he calmed himself fully with the knowledge that she was alive. She was alive and would be ok. He would be there every step of the way, and he would never leave her vulnerable again. Nico changed into jeans and a tee-shirt and drove to hospital. Reaching the hospital Nico found a parking space close to the entrance, Dani would be leaving today and he didn't want her walking far. Walking in he steeled himself for the sight he knew may open the fresh wounds on his heart.

Reaching her room he could hear her talking to one of the nurses. He was about to enter the room when he realized he was the subject of their conversation.

"He isn't here?" He heard Dani say in a small voice, that tore at his heart making him want to rush in.

"No, but he informed us he would be back to pick you up, something about wanting you to rest."

"Oh, good. I don't have my phones and I need someone to drive me home." A pause followed in which he shifted from one foot to the other. Dani spoke softly "How long did he stay last night?"

"All night until he had me put you under. In all my years as a head nurse I've never seen anyone so passionate about someone, young lady you better sweep him off his feet before he disappears, he truly seems too good to let go."

"You don't know the half of it. He blames himself for not being there sooner, but I couldn't even contact him to let him know what was happening. He just knew. That's how amazing he is, always there and never too far away if you need him. I just wish he wouldn't blame himself."

"He is a man, you are his woman. Oh don't give me that look young lady, you and I both know he wants and needs you just as much as you need him. He will always feel responsible for anything that happens to you. That's a man you need to take care of whether he wants it or not. Tell me you love him?"

"You know, before I wasn't sure. Or maybe it was the fact I thought he was untouchable in that sense, I never thought he would feel the same. But after last night, even before the saving thing, I realized I loved him more than I had ever loved anyone in my entire life. I need him, and want to be there for him I'm just not sure how to go about it." Nico could feel tears coming to his eyes once again, deciding to leave and get some coffee before returning, mainly so he could regain some control over his emotions, he left for the cafeteria.

After getting a supply of coffee for the both of them, thankful this hospital had the extra spending money to afford a Starbucks, he returned to Dani's room. Walking in, he found her propped up and reading the headlines of todays newspaper. He smiled to himself watching her. She looked better with rest and somehow had managed to smuggle makeup out of one of the nurses effectively brightening the bruises. He walked over and allowed her to hear him, setting her coffee on the table next to her. He looked into her eyes, as she smiled brightly they lost themselves in each others eyes.

Dani finally broke the silence "Is that for me?" motioning over to the coffee cup beside her.

"Yes, I needed some myself and figured I'd pick you up some as well, knowing how much of a coffee feigned you are."

She chuckled, "You really do know me too well. Thank you Nico, for everything. How are you? Did you get some sleep?"

"I'm okay Dani, I'll feel better when you are back to normal again. Yes, I still blame myself but I think I always will. That just means I wont let you out of my sight for a while."

"Nico….I"

"Please, Dani , not now okay?" She nodded as she took in his features, when her eyes landed on his bruised and swollen knuckles.

"Oh my god Nico, what happened? Was that from the guy last night?"

"No Dani, that was my rage at what happened. You have no idea how much finding that situation effected me." He took a deep breath and then looked back into her eyes. "Let's talk about It later, okay?"

"Okay Nico, but hear this. You are every bit to blame…." Pausing she saw the guilt and tears build up, "You are every bit to blame for me being here today, for me only having this many injuries, for me being able to tell you this. You are every bit to blame for saving me, and caring for me in a way I haven't felt cared for in a long time if at all. Nico please stop this, at least blame yourself for something that is your fault and not something out of your control." Finishing her sentence she pulled his uninjured arm so that he bent over and hugged her, she couldn't stand his expression as a solid tear slid down his face.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Dani was discharged from the hospital shortly after. Nico had barely spoken a word to her since she had laid that heartfelt argument about not blaming himself on him. Dani allowed him his space but started to worry as he helped her into his car, was he going to just drop her off? Had she really crossed that line that he felt compelled to shut her out completely, she hoped with everything she had it wasn't the case. When he passed her exit she looked at him with a confused expression, Nico kept his eyes on the road even as he felt hers pressing him for an explanation. After about 45 minutes into the drive, Danielle fell into a drug induced sleep. Nico pulled into his house driveway, owning two properties had its advantages, only one other person knew of this place and she had passed leaving it to him. His mother's place was on the outskirts of New York, just far enough to be outside his realm of "Work Jurisdiction." It was his getaway. As he parked the car and noticed the sleeping occupant next to him, he almost couldn't believe he was willing to share his sanctuary with her. This place was something he cherished into silence for 10 years, never even visiting longer than a couple of days at a time and only then to get the sleep he never could in the city. This place was where he grew up, had good and bad memories, and now found sanctuary when everything became too much. Looking upon the 3 story brick house, he felt his heart swell and burn at the same time; it had been too long since he had spent some time here. Driving here had come naturally and almost against his will when he knew he needed some place peaceful for her to deal with the aftermath of what happened, especially since he wasn't planning on her going through it without him there every step of the way. He got out, climbed the steps , disarmed after unlocking the front door, and travelled inside to check the stock on food. Realizing he would need to go to the grocery store, he walked to his bedroom and made sure it was made and comfortable for Dani. He ran back out to the car and carried her to his bed, laying her down and tucking her in so that she could sleep comfortably while he went to the store.

Fifty or so minutes later, Nico pulled into the driveway. Walking into the house he unlocked and disarmed it, when he started to carry groceries in he heard crying and whimpering coming from his room. Running upstairs he noticed no one was in the bed, but could hear Dani panicking. "

"Danielle, it's me, Nico. Where are you honey?"

Suddenly she burst out from underneath the bed and ran into his arms. Sobbing with everything her small body had, Nico pulled her close tight but mindful of her ribs.

"Danielle, baby, I just went to the store. I thought you would sleep through me being gone. Honey, everything is going to be okay, please believe me, you are safe."

Feeling her nod into his chest she began to calm down a bit. Pulling away after a couple of more minutes trying to calm herself down, she looked into his eyes, silent tears streaming down her face.

"I woke up, and called your name out. Then I remembered everything that happened. When I heard the door open and the alarm disarmed I realized I had no idea where I was. I had flashbacks to last night, I hid under the bed until he found me Nico. I was so scared; all I could think about was that I would never get to see my kids or you again." Her tyrant was put to a stop when he placed a single fingertip against her lips and pulled her back into his arms. Cradling her in his shoulder he kissed the top of her head and gave a large sigh of guilt and pain.

"Dani, I'm so sorry. I thought you would sleep through it, I should have realized I had been gone too long. You are in my house, the safest place possible. Only people who knew about this place besides me are dead. Danielle we are out of anyone's reaches, and I promise nothing will ever happen to you again."

She pulled back with a sad smile on her face, "I know Nico. You have always made me feel safe, and always will. I thank you for that."

He smiled sadly as well and caressed her cheek with his fingertips, causing her to gasp and lean into his hand. He slowly and sadly pulled his hand away; turning to leave the room she grabbed his good hand. He turned looking at her with an unknown intensity from her cataloged Nico expressions in his eyes.

"Nico…what did you do to yourself after leaving the hospital?" He tried to turn and leave but she walked a little quicker than she should have been able to with her injuries to block his entrance. Grabbing his face in her hands she made him look her in the eyes, "What did you do Nico?"

"Why? Why Dani do you want to know that?"

"Because I know you punished yourself more than breaking your hand, I want to know what caused you to use violence against yourself Nico. Please just open up this once."

He pulled from her grasp, she started to feel hurt at his reluctance when he spoke looking away from her out the window into the darkened country.

"I cried all the way back to the apartment replaying your sentence about the what if's had I not shown up in my head. When I got there I screamed from all the intensity building in my heart, grabbing some sweats and running as hard and fast as I could. I ran all night until I fell to my knees at central park and sobbed because I couldn't have prevented what happened to you. I saved you by chance Dani, and if the what if had happened I'm not sure I would want to live anymore." He turned to look at her with more tears in his eyes, not yet running down his face, "Happy now? You know my weakness and its you." Storming out of his bedroom and he jogged down the steps and out the door. He grabbed his cowboy boots he kept in his shed and grabbed a saddle, running to the horse ranch he loaded himself onto a black stallion and took off at a fast trot. Something no one else knew about him either, he loved to ride, ever since his childhood and growing up around horses. In the city he ran, here he took flight on the back of a stallion into the night.

Dani sat down on the bed and smiled a weak smile at what had just been revealed. Walking down the steps he caught sight of him on a horse taking off for the woods out the back window of the living room. She had a puzzled look on her face realizing she would learn more about Nico Careles in the next couple of days than she was sure anyone had ever known about him. So she put his groceries away with as much speed as possible with her ankle and injuries and started a pot of coffee. Sitting down on the luxurious couch next to the fireplace that she had lit, she sat with coffee determined to wait him out.

Nico pulled back into the horse ranch feeling better, knowing he had given a huge part away of himself and his heart's true feelings to the subject of those feelings was a little unsettling for him. But as he unloaded his stuff from the horse and gave it a midnight brush, he realized he was going to open up more to her than anyone ever in his life, because he was in love with her and couldn't live without her. Walking into his house he found her with a cup of coffee, awake and just sitting with her back to his fireplace. He noticed the groceries unpacked, and couldn't help the warmth at the idea of Dani waiting for him to come home for the rest of his life. He crossed the room to her, put her coffee cup on the table next to the couch and gently lifted her to her feet. When she looked up with that cute and puzzled look on her face again he couldn't help it. He gently laid his hands on the side of her neck and kissed the bruises across her face, when his lips kissed softly on the busted part of her lip he heard her breath catch in her throat. He slid his hands into her hair softly, and lifted her lidded eyes to his in a question. As a response to that question she slid one hand up his clothed chest resting her palm against his heart, and slid her other hand into the end of his hair on his neck. He leaned down with the intent of closing the distance between them now and forever, when his lips stopped hesitantly above hers she moaned softly and closed the rest of the space, causing his lips to land softly against hers. He moaned with unrequited need and love for this woman as he soft began to move his lips against hers, mindful of the cut and bruise on the corner of her mouth. Dani got lost in his kiss, never having been kissed with such love and compassion before she slid her tongue across his bottom lip. He growled and moaned at the same time as he shifted her head to allow him the angle to deepen the kiss, sliding his tongue into her sweet mouth they began a beautiful and passionate tango of tongues. When air begged attention he broke away resting his forehead against hers, not being able to stand being away from her lips after tasting her he kissed her softly, two more times. She moaned softly at his attention. Pulling away completely but keeping her wrapped in his arms, he sighed with content and love evident in his face.

"Danielle. My Danielle.


End file.
